George's observations on social injustice, bigotry, and other tyrannies of the majority.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

A Victory for Evil in Maine

Yesterday voters in Maine repealed a law that would have allowed same-sex couples to marry in the state. The law was enacted in the spring of 2009 by the Maine legislature who had intended to "right a wrong". In other words, the Maine legislature recognized that the rights of GLBT people are meaningfully restricted by laws that do not allow their relationships to be recognized by society.

Organizers of the petition to repeal this law had waged a bitter battle that relied on lies, appeals to bigotry and scare tactics.

The people who campaigned in favor of the bill appealed to the Maine residents independent spirit and "live and let live" attitude.

Well, the liars, manipulators, and bigots won the day. The tactic that may have proved the most effective? Opponents of the law based many of its campaign ads on claims -- disputed by state officials -- that the new law would mean "homosexual marriage" would be taught in public schools.

The right wingers appealed to the fears that all parents have against their children being taught anything about sexuality - especially when done outside of their sphere of influence.

Well folks, school officials in Maine and everywhere else are not about to teach kids anything about homosexuality, just like they don't teach anything about heterosexuality - at least not beyond basic sex education timed to coincide with when the kids are encountering puberty. Of course religious fundamentalists are threatened even by that. They'd rather remove their children from "sex-ed" classes - which is their right.

However, religious fundamentalists needed a way to convince the voters of Maine that this law would endanger their children - because that was they only way they could come up with to overcome a rational person's lack of objection to allowing same-sex people who love each other the same rights as everyone else with respect to marriage.

This is basically no different, and just as morally reprehensible, as the far-right wing complaint about the "death panels" being created by the health care bill.

The "religionistas" don't see anything wrong with lying in order to get their way. Their end does not justify their means.

Have you ever noticed that the same folks who try to prevent same sex families are the ones who constantly bemoan the decline of the family in America? It makes no sense to me. If you are concerned about not having enough family values, then why would you deliberately try to prevent two people who want to have a family from doing so?

Thanks Anonymous #1, for reading and commenting. I really didn't define the term "religionistas" in that post. Although I don't think that everyone who is "religious" is guilty of the behavior I have intended to highlight, I do think that by and large, the people who are involved in "anti-gay" activism do consciously misrepresent data, make up exaggerated consequences, and yes, outright lie to the public when expressing their views against public policy that recognizes LGBT people as equals.